"I go against him almost every day," Ellington said on Friday, his 23rd birthday, before the team's afternoon session. "He's real quick, he's long for his size, and he makes plays, which is what you need in that position... He's a play-maker. He has a knack for the ball, and he attacks it. He's a dog out there.

"I get to go against somebody who plays that position who is good at it, so that helps me out."

He could carve out a role as the team's slot receiver, given his sneaky size and basketball-like quickness. Ward, of course, is an ideal match because he's hoping to be the 49ers nickel cornerback, the player that is routinely challenged to cover smaller, speedier pass-catchers like the Denver Broncos' Wes Welker.

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49ers tight end Blake Bell spoke to the media on day two of 49ers training camp. The 4th-round rookie addressed his willingness to help the team in any way possible as well as what he has learned from Vernon Davis.